Adopted in Manchester in 1995, the Statement on the Cooperative Identity set out for the first time the cooperative and ethical values that lie behind the principles drawn up by the Rochdale Pioneers and later adopted by the international movement; provided a clear definition of the cooperative business model; and updated the Cooperative Principles to reflect the contemporary features of the movement.
The 33rd ICA World Cooperative Congress, held at the end of 2021 in Seoul, Korea, kicked off a global consultation aimed at broadening cooperators’ awareness of the Statement and finding out how well it has stood the test of time.
Under the guidance of a group of experts and practitioners appointed by the ICA Board—the Cooperative Identity Advisory Group—cooperators from all around the world have since answered a survey sharing their views, attended educational webinars exploring facets of our shared Cooperative Identity, and taken part in national and regional consultation sessions. The first consultation round concluded in New Delhi in November 2024 when the ICA General Assembly:
1. Approved 15 steps the ICA and its members can take to better articulate, live, communicate, and protect the Cooperative Identity;
2. Agreed to convene a World Cooperative Congress, at a time and place to be determined by the ICA Board, for the purpose of considering possible changes to the Statement.
The Members attending the Assembly had before them a first discussion draft setting out possible revisions to the Statement. The draft gave an idea of the kinds of changes that could be made; the members were not asked to approve it. Based on feedback offered then, the Advisory Group has released a second discussion draft. As the consultation continues, it will release further discussion drafts as necessary. The aim is to:
1. Ensure that all proposed changes to the Statement are rigorously considered;
2. Arrive, if possible, at a consensus on what, if any, changes to make to the Statement.
Full Members and Associates of the ICA, the ICA’s Regions, Sectoral Organisations and Thematic Committees, and all other interested parties are invited to comment on the discussion drafts as they are released.
